Herbs, perennial, 60-150 cm tall, somewhat woody at base, gray sericeous or puberulent. Stems 1-3. Basal leaves: petiole 6-12 cm; leaf blade ovate-elliptic or ovate, 8-12 × 7-9 cm, 2- or 3-pinnatisect; segments 4 or 5 pairs, pinnately lobed; lobules lanceolate-elliptic or -linear, 8-15 × 2-4(-7) mm, apex obtuse. Middle stem leaves: petiole 2-6 cm; leaf blade ovate or elliptic-ovate, 2-pinnatisect; lobules linear-lanceolate, (8-)10-25 × 2-3(-5) mm. Uppermost leaves 4-6 × 2-4 cm, pinnatisect or 5-lobed; leaflike bracts 3-lobed or entire; lobes lanceolate or linear-lanceolate. Synflorescence usually a broad conical panicle; primary branches straight, ascending or ± oblique spreading, up to 30 cm and secondary branches up to 12 cm. Capitula shortly pedunculate, nodding. Involucre globose or subglobose, 2.5-3.5(-4) mm in diam.; receptacle hemispheric, densely pubescent. Marginal female florets 15-25; corolla yellow, obliquely 2-toothed. Disk florets 30-70(-90), bisexual; corolla yellow. Achenes oblong, 0.8-1 mm, with apical corona or not. Fl. and fr. Aug-Sep. 2n = 18.

Artemisia absinthium is used in anti-inflammatory and anthelmintic medicines.

Hillsides, steppes, scrub, forest margins, often in locally moist situations; 1100-1500 m. Jiangsu, NW and W Xinjiang [Afghanistan, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia; N Africa, SW Asia, Europe, North America].